Unknown 18th Hussars Badge

[Luke H]

Can any of our cavalry aficionados identify this XVIII Hussars badge which recently sold on eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/B-18th-Hu...y/113669325834 please?

The badge was sold from a Victorian/Edwardian collection and listed as a cap badge. Interestingly it appears to sport a QVC guelphic crown atop of the Edwardian 1904-1905 design.

I can find no trace of it in K&K and it appears to somewhat contradict the evolution of the badge.

Another member found a drawering of this badge on an early cigarette card and our guess was it’s possibly a bandsmen’s badge?

Cheers,

Luke

[Luke H]

The cigarette card mentioned and also cap badge in question.

[leigh kitchen]

The cigarette card is a reproduction of a card from Gale & Polden's"The British Army" postcard series authorised by the War Office, & usually referred to nowadays by their subtitle of "History & Tradition".
Illustrations were initially produced as water colours on card & sent to the units concerned for any corrections necessary, being checked usually by the adjutant or Regimental Sergeant Major, so uniform detail should be very accurate, an exception being the Welsh Guards which showed inaccuracies in the uniform as the card was produced n 1915 when Full Dress with bearskin was to be worn only by the band in London Garrison & prior to the details of their uniform having been confirmed
I don't know if the illustrations of the badges that accompany the illustrations of the uniforms on the cards were put to the Adjustment and RSM tests though.

[Luke H]

Thanks for the info Leigh. I think you make a very good point about the Welsh Guards, it appears to be the case they’ve picked a dress/headwear only a section of the regiment wore presumably because either the adjutant or the artist thought it made for a smarter card and better portrayal of the regiment?

Similarly this may be the case for the 19th Hussars’ double scroll Nelly appearing on some cards as the regiment’s cap badge i.e. not worn by the majority but rather a section of the regiment, in 19H’s case officers and (likely) bandsmen, then chosen due to regimental politics or for aesthetics.

Perhaps as the band was source of inspiration for the Welsh Guards and 19H it’s likely the badge in question to the 18th Hussars is also a bandsmen’s. This would make sense with the voiding in the laurel as bandsmen’s badges were often made to a higher standard.

Cheers,
Luke

[Luke H]

A picture of the band c.1910 https://www.alamy.com/vintage-1910-e...ip%3d0%26pl%3d